Features of growing Gymnospermous pumpkin with step by step instructions

Gymnospermous pumpkin differs from ordinary varieties in the structure of seeds – they are devoid of the usual hard shell and are a valuable raw material for the food industry. We learn about the popular types of this crop, about its planting and cultivation.

Gymnosperm pumpkin

Features of growing Gymnospermous pumpkin with step by step instructions

Gymnospermous pumpkin seeds have good oiliness

Features of growing Gymnospermous pumpkin with step by step instructions

Gymnospermous gourd tolerates temperature changes well

Characteristics of the gymnosperm pumpkin

Gymnospermous pumpkin is a climbing plant, practically no different from ordinary varieties.

Brief Description of Gymnospermous Gourd:

  • Plant. The whips reach a length of 5-12 m. The stem is whip-like, hollow, massive. Mustaches are long. Coverage is high.
  • Leaves. Rounded, five-lobed, dark green, pubescent.
  • Flowers. Large, bright yellow. Up to 80 female flowers are formed on the plant, up to 400 male ones.
  • Roots. Powerful, occupy an area of ​​​​3-5 square meters. m. Able to reach a length of 10 meters.
  • Fruit. Rounded, with a hard and thin crust. The fruits are striped – yellow, with green stripes. Seeds of medium size, in a thin shell of dark green color. The seminal chambers of the fetus are deep, they contain a large number of seeds. The pulp is slightly fibrous, thickness – 3-7 cm.

Characteristics of the gymnospermous gourd:

Characteristics/parameters Description/value Ripening time 120 days. Productivity is 20-40 kg from one bush. Resistance to diseases and pests Average. It can be affected by powdery mildew, mosaic, fruit rot, as well as pests – melon aphids, wireworms, etc. Frost resistance Low. Minimum soil temperature: +14-16 °C. Fruit weight 6-8 kg, maximum – 16 kg. Drought tolerance is low. In the absence of watering, the fruits become smaller. Lightness Low. Stored no more than 2 months. Purpose Universal. Technical varieties – for squeezing oil from seeds. In sweet varieties containing 5-8% sugar, the pulp is used to make mashed potatoes, juices, cereals and other dishes.

The pulp of the gymnospermous pumpkin practically does not differ in nutritional value from the pulp of ordinary varieties. But its seeds are different – the calorie content of gymnospermous pumpkin seeds is 100 kcal more than that of ordinary varieties, with a hard peel.

Nutritional value of 100 g of gymnospermous pumpkin seeds:

  • Caloric content – 650 kcal.
  • Proteins – 23,4%.
  • Fats – 84%.
  • Carbohydrates – 8,4%.
  • Dietary fiber – 30%.
  • Water – 5 g.

Fats in gymnospermous pumpkin seeds are 35% more than in ordinary varieties, proteins and carbohydrates are slightly less.

Popular varieties of gymnosperms

Gymnospermous pumpkin is represented by varieties that differ in ripening time, fruit size, yield and other characteristics. At the same time, they all have one thing in common – their seeds are without peel, in a transparent edible film:

  • Golosemyanka. Mid-season variety. Ripens in 100-110 days. On a climbing plant – 4-5 flattened fruits weighing 4-6 kg. The pulp is yellow, sweetish, during storage the content of carotene and sugars increases. The seeds are olive green in color, high in vitamins and zinc. Cold hardiness is moderate.
    golosemyanka
  • Olga. Mid-season and mid-range variety. Ideal for squeezing pumpkin seed oil. The fruits are round, weight – 5-6 kg. The pulp is light, sweetish. The seeds are large.
    Olga
  • Miranda. Mid-season Polish variety with juicy pulp. The main difference is the semi-bush form of the plant. It occupies a small area – compared with climbing varieties. The fruits are flattened, with a light green rind and juicy, medium-sugar pulp. Fruit weight – 3-4 kg.
    Miranda
  • Dana. Mid-season, strongly climbing variety, ripening occurs 120 days after planting. The fruits are rounded, the peel is orange-yellow, mesh. The pulp is yellow-orange, with a pleasant aroma, crispy and dense. Good in boiled and baked form, delicious juices and mashed potatoes are prepared from it. The mass of pumpkins is 3-5 kg. It has a high content of starch and sugar. Prone to overspray.
    Danaya
  • Juno. Early maturing variety. Differs in strong weaving. Requires spatial isolation – to avoid pollination. Pumpkins are rounded, weighing 4 kg. The pulp is pleasant to the taste, it is used fresh, boiled, stewed, baked. It has a very high keeping quality – pumpkins can be stored up to 4 months.

    Juno

  • Styrian. Austrian mid-season and long climbing variety. The main purpose is the production of oil. The product obtained from seeds has a nutty flavor. Fruit weight – 4-8 kg. Pumpkins are stored – almost 3 months.
    Styrian

Advantages and disadvantages of gymnospermous pumpkin

Benefits of gymnospermous pumpkin:

  • High oil content of seeds. Varieties of this pumpkin are used on an industrial scale to produce pumpkin seed oil.
  • Ease of processing – due to the absence of hard shells. The process of squeezing out the oil is simplified.
  • It can grow in almost all regions of the Russian Federation.
  • Disease resistance.
  • It tolerates temperature changes well.

Disadvantages:

  • Grow only by seedling method.
  • Relatively low productivity.
  • In most varieties, the keeping quality is not good enough; it is stored worse than an ordinary pumpkin.
  • Inferior to ordinary pumpkin in taste of pulp.

The gymnospermous pumpkin has many disadvantages, but it is still grown for the sake of “naked”, without husks, seeds.

Soil and crop rotation requirements

Gymnosperm varieties, like all other types of pumpkins, are a heat-loving culture of a subtropical day. Since in the Russian Federation, in most regions, the weather is not too sunny, the pumpkin needs well-lit areas with fertile soils.

The ratio of gymnosperms to soil:

  • It grows on fertile and loose soils enriched with organic matter.
  • It can grow on soils with neutral acidity, slight acidity is allowed – pH from 6,5 to 7,5. On acidic soils, the culture is oppressed.
  • The plant absorbs a lot of nutrients. One ton of fruits requires: potassium – 4,5 kg, nitrogen – 2,7 kg, phosphorus – 1,2 kg. Such needs cannot be met by the introduction of humus, compost or manure – it is necessary to use mineral fertilizers.

Crop rotation rules:

  • Desirable predecessors – beets, cabbage, onions, carrots, potatoes.
  • unwanted – squash, zucchini, cucumbers, other varieties of pumpkins.

Agrotechnics of gymnosperms

Gymnosperm varieties, unlike ordinary pumpkins, are much more demanding on care and growing conditions. Grow seedling and seedless way. There is no need to carry out any special events – pumpkins with “naked” seeds need watering, fertilizing, loosening.

Seed preparation

Seeds can be bought or harvested yourself – from pumpkins of your own harvest. Rules for the collection and preparation of seeds:

  • Seeds are taken from pumpkins that are 100% ripe.
  • The collected material is washed and dried thoroughly.
  • Store the collected seeds in paper bags.
  • Before sowing, the seeds are heated at +40 ° C for 10 hours.
  • After warming up, the seeds are soaked for 12 hours in a germination stimulator.

Growing sprouts

Sowing seeds for seedlings begins 30-45 days before planting in open ground.

The order of growing seedlings:

  • Prepare individual containers. Suitable for 500 ml pots. Provide good drainage. Plants do not tolerate transplanting well, so you have to do without picking – transplant seedlings from pots directly into open ground. The best option is growing in peat tablets 10×10 cm.
  • Fill the containers with ready-made cucumber substrate – it is sold in agricultural stores. Or prepare a soil mixture by mixing peat, humus and sawdust in a ratio of 2:1:1. Add complex fertilizer to this mixture – dose its amount according to the instructions.
  • Properly prepared seeds – warmed up and soaked, plant one at a time in a pot. Deepen each seed by 4-5 cm.
  • Water the crops after planting. Seeds germinate in 5-8 days.
  • Keep the temperature between +22 and +25 °C. The optimal light day for seedlings is 12 hours.
  • Water the seedlings regularly – as they dry out. Don’t over-wet.
  • Feed seedlings with complex fertilizers once a week – as soon as shoots appear.
  • Start hardening a week before planting. Take the seedlings outside – first for half an hour and, gradually increasing the duration of the walk, bring it up to 3-4 hours.

pumpkin seedling

The pumpkin planting scheme depends on the variety:

  • bush gourd planted according to the scheme 70×70 cm.
  • Medium climbing – 70×140 cm.
  • Climbing – 200×100 cm.

Planting seedlings in the ground begins when the soil warms up from +14 to +16 ° C. Usually such conditions are created in May-June – the exact dates depend on climatic conditions. Only strong seedlings are transplanted into the ground.

Transplant procedure:

  1. Prepare the garden. To prepare it, pour into the hole if the climate is dry, or directly on the ground if the climate is humid, such components:
    • mullein – 2 buckets;
    • chernozem – 1 bucket;
    • superphosphate – 1 tbsp. l.
  2. Make a hole in the prepared bed.
  3. Pour 3 liters of warm water into the hole.
  4. Plant the seedling in the hole using the transshipment method. And if the seedlings are grown in peat tablets – just place them in the holes along with the “container”.
  5. In order for the seedlings to take root faster, temporarily shade it with large leaves – for example, burdock is suitable.

Planting seeds in open ground

In the southern regions, where spring begins early, the seedless method of growing pumpkins is practiced. The soil is prepared in the traditional way – in the fall it is dug up and organic matter is brought in for digging.

Sowing begins when favorable circumstances arise – the soil warms up to + 14-16 ° C, and the likelihood of return frosts will be excluded.

The procedure for sowing pumpkin seeds in the ground:

  • Loosen the soil before transplanting seedlings. Loosening depth – 6-7 cm. Remove weed rhizomes during loosening.
  • Dig holes. The optimal diameter is 30-40 cm, the depth is from 7 cm.
  • Pour 1-2 liters of warm water into the hole.
  • Add humus (5 kg) to each well, as well as superphosphate (75 g), ash (200 ml) and potassium sulfate (100 ml). Thoroughly mix the incorporated components with the soil.
  • Plant 3-4 seeds in each hole – with an interval of 3-4 cm. Seeding depth – 5-6 cm. Sprinkle them with soil and mulch with peat or humus.
  • When seedlings appear, choose the strongest from 3-4 sprouts. Pinch the rest.

Features of care

Gymnospermous pumpkins require the same care as regular varieties:

  • Watering. The culture needs regular watering. The soil must be kept moist at all times. The pumpkin needs irrigation all the time while it is growing. Pumpkin irrigation is recommended in the morning, when there is a minimum temperature difference between the soil and water, then the roots of the plant will not be stressed.
  • Loosening. The soil is regularly loosened to remove the crust and improve aeration. Thanks to loosening, the roots are provided with oxygen.
  • Mulching. Mulching is used to keep the earth loose and not dry out, as well as to prevent the growth of weeds. The soil is mulched with hay, sawdust, straw, peat.
  • Feeding. As soon as the seedlings take root in the beds, fertilizing begins. The first time fertilizers are applied 7-10 days after planting. For top dressing, bird droppings, mullein, herbal infusions, ash, as well as mineral complex fertilizers are used. During the growing season, the pumpkin is fed 3-4 times. Top dressing is combined with watering – water promotes the absorption of nutrients and prevents root burns.

Possibility of cross-pollination

Insects pollinate the gymnosperm pumpkin. There should not be squash, zucchini, other varieties of pumpkin near the pumpkins – otherwise the pumpkin with soft seeds will soon be transferred.

The best method of pollination to avoid cross-pollination and maintain the purity of the variety is artificial:

  • With the help of a brush, female flowers are pollinated with pollen from male flowers.
  • To prevent insects from reaching the pollinated flower, it is covered with bags.

Thanks to artificial pollination, it is possible to prevent the degeneration of the variety and increase the yield.

Harvesting and storage of crops

Rules for collecting fruits of gymnospermous pumpkin:

  • The ripeness of the fruit is determined by the rich color of the fruit and the dry stem.
  • The timing of harvesting is influenced by the climate of the region. The collection usually takes place in autumn. In a temperate climate, pumpkins are ready for harvest in mid-October, in the southern regions – in mid-September.
  • The fruits are plucked with stalks.
  • It is advisable to collect all the fruits in one day – before the onset of frost.

The fruits are stored for a short time – usually 2 months, over time they begin to rot, and the seeds germinate. Some varieties are stored for 3 or even 4 months.

Pumpkin storage conditions:

  • The room temperature is up to +10 °C.
  • Humidity – up to 80%.
  • Pumpkins are not stored on the ground, they are stacked on shelves, shifting with straw – the fruits should not come into contact with each other.
  • From time to time, the fruits are inspected in order to remove rotten ones in time.

The first to be processed are pumpkins with short stalks – they are stored less.

For information on how to plant a gymnosperm pumpkin, and about the features of caring for it, see the following video:

Feedback from gardeners and farmers

Boris, 35 years old, amateur gardener, Rostov region. Gymnospermous pumpkin is very powerful – lashes, flowers, leaves, everything is large. Grows like a monster, whips spread everywhere, suppress weeds. I plant on a compost heap, so there are no problems with nutrition. The yield is high, the pulp tastes so-so, but the seeds are delicious. Zinaida, 45 years old, summer resident, Voronezh region Gymnospermous pumpkin has worse flesh than ordinary pumpkin – not so sweet and tasty, but the seeds are excellent, I call them – “for lazy people.” But you need to eat them little by little – they are very nutritious. Care is like an ordinary pumpkin, the only difference is that it must be planted away from cucumbers, zucchini and pumpkins, otherwise it will pollinate and degenerate. Pavel, 30 years old, farmer, Krasnodar Territory. I grow gymnosperms on drip irrigation. Productivity per hectare – up to 1200 kg. I put the seeds into oil, and the pulp goes to feed livestock. If you sell products for export, you can make good money.

Gymnosperms are of interest, first of all, to lovers of pumpkin seeds and farmers who can grow this unpretentious and productive crop for industrial purposes. Pumpkin seed oil is a valuable liquid product, the sale of which can make a good business.

Anna Evans

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